Sleep Baby Sleep
by TJ Binx
Summary: What would happen if Skye and Kai had a successful, accidental pregnancy while still in the Prison World? a.k.a the A.U. to Bloodsport that nobody asked for, but I hope you enjoy anyway.
1. Chapter 1

Part 1

 _I could be the one to give you all I am_

 _May 10, 1994_

Coffee was once the only comfort Skye had had in the prison world - the aroma reminded her of waking up Sunday mornings with her mom, readying for breakfast - but now just the smell of the grounds made her sick, had her sprinting to the bathroom, clutching her hand over her mouth, for the past few mornings.

Kai would barely take the lid of the can and she was running; she was starting to suspect he was now doing it on purpose, ensuring the can was as close to her nose as it could get when he opened it, but not being overly blatant about it. No, in a sneaky way that meant she couldn't accuse him openly. No, she had just had to stew in suspicion.

When she'd come back from the bathroom, wiping her mouth with her hand, she was hit with the scent of it brewing, causing nausea again. And of him sitting at the table, sipping from his own cup, a smirk present on the corners of his lips.

This particular morning, upon seeing her in the doorway, looking miserable, he had lowered the mug and pronounced dryly, "Maybe you're pregnant..."

"Yeah, right," she scoffed as she turned towards the cabinet, eyeing the coffeemaker in half-longing and half-disgust. She opened the cabinet, examining their contents. They were sparse - whoever had lived in this little bungalow in Cincinnati before must've been mininalmists. "Do you think we could go get some tea today?"

When her question went unanswered for longer than was polite, she turned to face him and was instantly floored by the thunderstuck expression on his face. Suddenly, he sat up straighter then went stock still, his face paling.

The implication had her immediately shaking her head, in denial. "No, no, no...you were just kidding, Kai."

Except, as she was just beginning to realize, there was some validity to his joke.

* * *

Skye stared at the stick her hand in shock. "There's such a thing as a false positive, you know," she said finally, turning to him.

Kai stood in the doorway, the color back in his complexion. Earlier, he just had just gotten up from the table and stalked out of the house, returning with a bag that he wordlessly held out to her as she paced around nervously.

Kai answered, mulish, "That's the ninth one you've taken."

She shook her head. "It can't be possible, Kai." The idea was insane, especially in a place where she could not physically change. There was no conceivable way she could go through such a short period of growth without complications, if at all.

He sighed and crossed his arms. "And yet it happened. Not a surprise, frankly. I'm pretty virile." The smile he flashed after the statement was predatory, directed at her.

Now she sighed. "You're pretty full of shit."

"And you're in denial," he sing-songed.

* * *

Skye was in denial - she stayed that way for the next few weeks, even while she was mid-throw up. Which, deceptively, did not only happen in the morning.

She groaned as she backed off the toilet and sat up against the bathroom wall.

Kai appeared in the doorway again, leaned up against the door jamb, his official station now as the knocker-upper. She refused to use a more appropriate term, like _father._ In fact, it made her shudder to think about. She couldn't wrap her mind around it - Kai as a _father_.

She must've been wearing her thoughts because Kai started chuckling, enjoying her misery. She glared at him, and he only grinned back.

She snapped, "How did you adjust so quickly?" She remembered how pale his complexion had been - ghost-like. But that had only lasted as long as it took her to take the first test.

He shrugged, as blase as ever. "It'll be a nice change of pace. You know, from the never-ending monotony of this eternal time loop."

 _That's an understatement_ , Skye thought. But, even she had to admit, he had a point. She just didn't know if she was ready for it.

* * *

After another month, they broke into the obstetrics floor of Cincinnati General and settled into Examination room 5.

Skye felt oddly nervous - shaky, nauseous (which she couldn't tell if it was from the morning sickness or nerves). Kai whistled as he fiddled with the drawers.

"So," he began conversationally as she settled onto the exam table, "I predict you're about 10 weeks in, which means we should be able to hear the heartbeat with a fetal Doppler - that just means I have to find it..." he trailed off absent-mindedly, still searching, opening another drawer. "Here it is," he said, pulling a device out that almost resembled a high-tech thermometer.

He started over to the bed, where she laid propped up. "We could've used an ultrasound machine at 6 weeks, but I don't know how to use them. So I'm gonna need a little bit more time to learn how," he explained. "We can save it for the big stuff when you're further along."

She nodded. He grabbed the doctor's rolling chair and wheeled it over. He grabbed the lever and raised it up so he could sit level with her still-flat, still covered abdomen.

She was reluctant to lift her shirt, feeling that the whole situation was ridiculous. There was a part of her that still didn't believe she was pregnant.

But she didn't need to worry because Kai was impatient - he turned on the device, removed the probe from its holder, and shoved her shirt up within five seconds. Then he paused, frowning. He set down the device in the free space by her side and wheeled back over to the drawers. From it, he pulled out a tube.

He then returned to her side and set the tube beside the device. His hand went to her waistband of her jeans, and, with bated breath, she watched as he unbuttoned and unzipped them.

He started pushing the waistband down, along with her underwear, exposing skin well past her belly button. She squirmed and raised her hands up, almost as if to stop him.

"Relax," he said as he stopped, her pants now resting on the crest of her pubic bone. "The baby's usually really low right now."

He picked up the tube and, uncapping it, squirted it on a spot below her belly button. She flinched at the coldness. Next, he picked up the probe and pressed it down right in the center of the gel. He used to the probe to spread the gel across her lower belly. Then he pressed down harder and started prodding her stomach more forcefully than was probably recommended by most health-care professionals.

"Ow," she complained. He rolled his eyes, but she noticed that he left up a little on the pressure. He continued his search, rubbing of the probe along the surface of her skin minutely. All the while, the device emitted a sound like a metal detector, picking up dead air until, suddenly, a staccato whooshing sound was a heard - loud and steady.

 _Oh, my god_ , she thought. There was a heartbeat - it was real, a tiny bundle of cells that would only grow into a miniature person that resembled one of them.

"That's your heartbeat," Kai said, frowning at the display of the monitor, sliding the probe again to the other side of her abdomen. "The rate's too low."

Skye's heart sank, and she felt her cheeks warm. He resumed his search, his eyebrows drawn together in concentration, until another whooshing sound could be discerned. This time it was fainter and quicker - it reminded Skye of an image: a hummingbird flapping its wings at such a rapid speed.

"There it is," Kai said. "The rate's around 160. That's the normal range, according to the book."

Now, Skye could barely believe it, due to the fake out earlier. "That's really it?" she questioned.

"Are you doubting me?" he asked back, turning the monitor in her direction. She studied the display above the speaker - it had a cartoon heart blinking in the corner, the numbers 163 at it's center.

"Oh, my god," she whispered, feeling her awe settle in. _They had created a baby._ She recalled the pregnancy scare she'd had in the beginning of the relationship and how terrified she had been. The fear wasn't there now.

Then there was just silence as they listened to the heartbeat, the weight of their situation crashing down on both of them in different ways until Kai went to pull it away, dragging the probe across to the other side of her abdomen, and a faint heartbeat sounded again. Kai's eyebrows furrowed, and he pressed the probe harder against the spot.

"It's picking it up again," Kai said, showing her the monitor again. The rate was high.

"It must've moved," she reasoned.

But Kai shook his head before she had even stopped speaking. "It couldn't have moved that quickly, it's not even that developed," Kai argued. He dragged the wand back up and the heartbeat there started up again. He moved it back over, and they heard the second one again.

"Maybe one is my heartbeat," she suggested, but he was shaking his head again in denial.

"The rates are high for both," he stated solemnly.

The implication dawned on her all at once, like a cold bucket of water had been dropped over her head. There was the fear she had been expecting...

Kai laughed then - a short disbelieving one that turned into a string of guffaws. "Twins...of course."

He kept laughing, each one getting progressively louder and more hysterical.

"Kai," she cautioned. His unhinged cackle was the last thing she needed as she felt her pulse rate increase, her chest tighten. Her breath came quicker.

If she thought a prison world birth would present unexpected complications ... well a pregnancy with twins certainly compounded it. She cringed as she remembered all the risks multiple pregnancies came with - low birth weights, higher chance of premature labor.

As she panicked, the sound of the heartbeat started ringing in her ears, like a taunt. Now it was here, now that she had heard it - she didn't want it to ever stop. Either of them.

Kai had finally calmed down enough to remove the probe, abruptly cutting off the heartbeat, and shut off the device.

Skye squeezed her eyes shut and tried to steady her breathing.

When she opened them again, she thought she spied Kai wiping actual tears of laughter from his eyes.

"I'm glad... this is so... funny," she snapped. But it was less threatening when she could barely get the words out due to lack of oxygen, nearly gasping out the words.

He seemed to finally notice something was wrong with her. He pursed his lips. "Less funny, more ironic."

"I can't have twins - we can't-" she stuttered.

"We'll be fine," he reassured, but it did nothing to soothe her.

"That's twice the puke, twice the poop, twice the crying, twice the worry," she forced out, her voice cracking on "worry."

"You act like I've never taken care of twins," he said simply.

"Yeah, and then you tried to murder them four years later so excuse me for not being confident in your caretaking abilities," she spat.

Instantly, Kai's jaw clenched, his face going dark but his eyes blazed with anger and - was it hurt? - and he wheeled back the chair, moving to stand. Skye immediately felt the bitter, twisted burn of regret and guilt in her chest. Here she was, alienating literally the only person who could help her.

She grabbed his hand, stopping him in place. "No, Kai. I'm sorry. Don't-," she said desperately.

He stood, stiff, his back to her. "Twins mean more complications," she explained. "I mean, can I even have a natural birth? Can you even perform a C-section? What happens when something goes wrong?" Her questions were mostly rhetorical, but they did the trick: he turned back around, walking closer to her, his expression one of impassivity.

He reached out his hand, his fingers pulling back a lock of hair that had fallen in her face. "Don't worry," he told her, a small smile in place. "If you die, you'll be regenerated like nothing ever happened."

She shook her head emphatically. "I don't care about me, Kai. You have to keep them alive."

Here, his head tilted as he regarded her, his smile falling. He looked perplexed - like the concept of caring for another life beyond your own was foreign to him.

"Please," she pleaded. "You have to. Nothing can happen to them."

Kai nodded, still looking perplexed but resolute, and she felt her chest lighten a bit.

* * *

The next day, Skye woke up to sunlight streaming in the window, feeling a urge to be productive. She disentangled herself from Kai and sat up; his arms went lax, falling on the bed at his sides. He remained asleep, unbothered by her movement.

She pondered as she watched his chest rise and fall - she needed to be extra prepared, to bring not one - but two - kids into the empty, alternate world.

Skye chose to wake him then, her hands squishing his cheeks until he snapped awake, grabbing her wrist, instantly annoyed with morning greeting. Laughing, she relented, pulling her hands away.

He grumbled unintelligibly and flipped over, putting his back to her.

She leaned over him, her mouth going to his ear, her hand squeezing his bare bicep. "Wake up," she commanded cheerfully.

"I didn't know you could revert back to childhood just because you're carrying children," he said, his voice gruff.

She ignored the barb. "Come on, we just have a big day today. Got some things to do, so please get up."

He flipped on his back, regarding her with confusion. This time, her hand went to rest on his chest as she leaned over him.

"What?" he asked finally.

"We have to go to the store - get baby supplies and furniture. Paint to paint the other room. Something gender neutral? Even though I don't believe in gendered colors. Sage green perhaps? I was thinking a zoo animal theme?"

Kai's eyes narrowed. "Is this a joke?"

"No," she replied. "I just want to be prepared in the only way I know how right now."

"Yesterday, you were the Queen of Denial, and now you're wanting to do everything 7 and half months early?"

It was the power of the hummingbirds' heartbeats, but Skye opted not to explain, not wanting to see the same perplexed look from yesterday on Kai's face.

"Fine, we can just browse," she conceded. "I'm just excited now. I realized I never thought I would get this opportunity - to be a mom or whatever - and now I have. "

Kai was watching her intently. She felt her cheek heat up under his scrutiny. She continued, "Also, it would be stupid not to take advantage of it, especially when I have literally everything in the world at my disposal. So..." she trailed off before she swiftly stood from the bed, snatching the blanket off of him as she went. "Get up. We have some shopping to attend to."

Kai groaned aloud - nearly a growl. "Really, babe?"

She stared as he rubbed his hands over his eyes. She was regretting taking the blanket off of him; she had inadvertently revealed his half-naked body and was distracted by the way his arm muscles flexed.

 _Shame_ , _shame_ , she told herself, mentally slapping herself on the wrist. It was what had gotten her into this mess...well that, and the year-long streak of no violence - which was a record and another contributing factor to _this mess_.

"We're in suburban Ohio," he broke through her thoughts. "9 out of 10 houses in this neighbourhood have a nursery. Take your pick."

"I want to decorate one myself, Kai," she contended.

"Ugh, fine," came the reply as he sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed.

She grinned.

* * *

 _So I thought I'd post this since it's taking me much longer to post the new chapter of Bloodsport than I wanted. I started this fic awhile ago as way to cope with the fate of the pregnancies in Bloodsport. So I hope you enjoy._


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2

 _The beauty of this mess is that it brings me close to you_

 _May 10, 1994_

"I can't believe you did this to me," Skye said, staring down at the massive mound that was her belly.

Kai rolled his eyes, yet didn't turn his attention away from the movie. He was used to her dramatics at this point.

She was just at 30 weeks, which meant her belly was only going to get bigger. It was difficult to imagine.

They were still in the Cincinnati bungalow - above their heads, on the second floor, was the completed nursery. They had decorated it with a zoo theme in mind like Skye had originally wanted. Painted in a pastel green and accented in shades of brown and tan, with dark wood furnishings, a little koala decal hung on the wall above one crib while a lion decal hung above the one opposite it. In the corner sat a giant stuffed giraffe. Skye had made blankets with material she stole from one of the stores they frequented - it had a cartoon elephant pattern.

Now that it was completed, and as she grew bigger, Skye was having trouble finding other tasks to keep her preoccupied.

Kai was not having the same trouble - he had spent the months reading up on multiple pregnancies and delivery, learning to operate an ultrasound machine, charting her progress, keeping her well-fed, and making sure she had enough rest. He kept her on a regular diet, monitored her caffeine intake, and scrutinized every movement she made.

She would almost find it sweet if he wasn't so clinical and detached about the whole thing - acting more like he was her live-in OB-GYN rather than a doting father-to-be.

She was bored out of her mind, and it was getting more difficult to be up and around for long periods of time. After only an hour of activity, her feet, which felt like they swelled up to a new size, protested. Her back would join in after fifteen more minutes.

She couldn't read because she could never find a comfortable position….she could barely sleep through most nights for the same reason.

She couldn't even concentrate on the movie they were watching because she was thinking about how the living beings doing gymnastics in her womb were undoubtedly going to push their way onto her bladder - she dreaded a walk to the bathroom with the way her soles were aching.

Kai complained that her new favorite pastime was complaining. That's when she'd accuse him and tell the whole situation was his fault and he'd rejoin, "It kinda takes two, babe."

Presently, Skye rubbed her belly. She smiled as she felt the movement against her hands. It was a strange sensation, to feel the movements of the babies both externally and internally but it was also really exciting. If she lifted her shirt, she would able to observe it as well. They were very active now, which apparently was more normal than she'd previously thought.

"They're kicking," she told Kai. He didn't respond, as he was too entranced by the explosions on the screen.

She shook her head. Kai only touched her belly when he was examining it, hardly expressing an interest in feeling his offspring move.

He had observed it once, while they laid in bed, and she raised her shirt up, exposing her bump. He watched them shifting under the surface of her skin then remarked that it reminded him of that scene from Alien and promptly vacated the bed, only returning the next morning to wake her.

Now, he acted as if he didn't even hear her.

Feeling lonelier than she had in a long time, Skye closed her eyes and drifted off, her head leaning on the arm rest.

* * *

"You've definitely gained weight, babe."

Skye's eyes fluttered open for a few seconds and the first thing she saw was Kai's sharp-angled face, closer than she expected. She felt as if she were swaying, and it took her a moment to realize that Kai was carrying her.

She tensed up then and glanced around blearily. They were in the hallway of the second floor, which meant he already made it up the stairs with her securely and blissfully unaware in his arms.

"Relax," Kai grinned down at her. "I won't drop you."

She stared at him.

It made her think of a moment in time when her life and their relationship was less complicated...

* * *

 _July 1993_

 _"Thanks again, mom, for coming to help," Skye said as she lifted the trunk lid. "I really appreciate it."_

 _Her mother smiled, and pushed a lamp aside so Skye could reach a laundry basket full of clothes and picture frames. "Of course, baby," she said while she reached for the second laundry basket, this one filled with towels. "I couldn't miss it. Besides," her mother continued, as they turned to walk up the sidewalk, laundry baskets propped against their hips. They were headed for the exterior staircase that would lead them to Skye's and Kai's new apartment. "I'm hoping you'll set an example for your sister."_

 _Skye laughed. "You want her to move in a boyfriend, possibly prematurely?"_

 _Her mom frowned. "She doesn't attract guys like Kai. If she ever has a boyfriend like Kai, I would encourage it, often and loudly."_

 _Skye laughed harder this time. "Kai does have his moments," she agreed._

 _They began their ascent up the stairs, Skye's mom falling slightly behind her._

 _Skye had sobered quickly, though, her mom growing unexpectedly silent too until she suddenly broke it._

 _"What did you mean by pre-maturely, Skye? Having seconds thoughts?" Skye could hear her mom's concern in her tone._

 _"Nope," Skye was quick to reassure, not turning back. She readjusted the basket, pulling it in front of her. "Not really...but, then again, it's only been 6 months."_

 _"That's longer than most of my relationships," her mom told her as they arrived on her floor's landing. "And your sister's, now that I think about it."_

 _Skye looked back and took in her mom's warm eyes, eyes that were similar to her own, feeling more certain as the seconds passed. Skye smiled gratefully at her._

 _"Now, show me which one it is," her mom instructed, tipping her head towards the long row of doors. "I want to see where my baby's gonna live for the next year."_

 _Skye lead her down the landing until they reached the door of Apartment 308. She swung the door open wide, walking into the mostly empty space of the living room. She set her basket down on the carpeted floor. She next took the basket from her mom's arms and set it down beside the first._

 _"Babe," Kai called from the next room, his voice becoming steadily lower and clearer as he closed the distance between, appearing in the doorway of the bedroom. "We need to designate who the spider killer is in this relationship because I just found a monster in the closet...Oh, hey, Pat," he trailed off as he spotted their first visitor. He grinned charmingly at her mother, while Skye shook her head. Kai was the only one who could get away with calling her mother Pat - she preferred Patricia but had never bothered to correct him._

 _"Kai," her mom greeted, smiling back. "Are your folks gonna come by later to see your new place?"_

 _Kai's grin fell, and Skye leveled a chastising look at her mom. To which she replied with an innocent "what did I do?" expression._

 _"I think they're busy," Kai said, his usual light-hearted tone sounding hollow now._

 _There was a beat of awkward silence, and Skye wished she had had the foresight to warn her mom of the 'no-go' zone._

 _Kai cleared his throat, and moved towards Skye. "So what about this spider, babe?" he asked, as he stopped in front of her, crossing his arms._

 _"Uh ... I think I'll let you take care of it," Skye told him._

 _"Aww, I was hoping we could keep it as a pet. Name it Fluffy. Ironically, of course. Buy it a cute little terrarium with a rock."_

 _"Ha ha," Skye deadpanned, a severe expression on her face. "If you're not down in five minutes to help with the rest of the stuff, I might just pack it all up again and head back to my mom's house."_

 _"Too late," her mom interjected. "There's a no return policy. You have to keep her forever."_

 _"It's true," Skye chimed in, wrinkling her nose at him._

 _He huffed, "Fine." But then he dipped down to brush a kiss on Skye's cheek, flashing her a mischievous smirk as he pulled away and disappeared back to the bedroom. Skye narrowed her eyes after him, suspicious, half-hoping he was joking about the spider and half-afraid that he might just make it their new pet._

* * *

 _Skye and her mom went back down to the car for another load, and her mom asked question as Skye searched the back of her car for the boxes marked 'Kitchen.' "What's the deal with his family?"_

 _Skye shrugged as she set one box down on the sidewalk. "I honestly don't know. He clams up about them - he claims they don't like him."_

 _Her mother hummed as she leaned up against a car door._

 _Skye dove back into the trunk, pulling out another box of pots and pans. "But they send him a monthly allowance. It's the main reason we'll be able to afford rent so I'm not complaining."_

 _She was going to say more, but they were both distracted as a car pulled in the parking lot, and then parked beside her mom's car._

 _Anya stepped out, with sunglasses on, her hair in disarray, looking worse for wear. She instantly started around the back, going for the backseat door on the other side._

 _"You're late," Skye told her just as her mom demanded, "Where's my baby?" Anya only waved a hand towards them dismissively while Skye mused with some jealousy on the fact that she was only the baby until Anthony came onto the scene._

 _"You're lucky I showed up at all," Anya grumbled, before she ducked inside her car momentarily. Three seconds later, a wild-haired toddler was popping out from the behind the car, running to Skye and her mom, clutching a Hot Wheels in each hand._

 _"Grammy! Aunt Skye!"_

 _Skye picked him up, hugging him to her tightly. "Hi, baby boy. Whatcha got?"_

 _He held up the cars to her nose closely, almost hitting her in the face in his excitement. "See?"_

 _She grinned wide. "They're awesome!"_

 _That's when Kai arrived, bounding down the stairs. "Hey, Squirt's here." He came up to Skye's side and ruffled Anthony's hair. He screeched with baby outrage, swatting away Kai's hand. Kai backed away, holding his hands up in surrender as Anthony said, "I's not a swuirt. You a swuirt."_

 _"Hey," Skye chided. "That's not very nice."_

 _"He's cranky," Anya explained, with an apologetic look at Kai. "Woke him up early to get here. He went to bed late last night."_

 _Skye set him down, frowning, and he immediately went to her mom, grabbing her pant leg and pouting back at them. Skye faced Kai, ready to apologize too, but he waved a hand, with an easy smile, unbothered. She couldn't help but smile back at him before she turned to her family, who were waiting expectantly._

 _"So Kai and I will deal with the heavy stuff," Skye started, headed for the box on the sidewalk. "You and you -" she directed, pointing to her mom first and then Anya, "-can get the other, small stuff. Let's hope Munchkin cheers up and wants to pitch in," she added teasingly, towards Anthony, finally provoking a small, reluctant grin from him after she pulled a funny face at him._

 _She walked up the sidewalk, box in her hands. Kai was right at her side with the second. She finished,"I don't think it should take that long. We don't have much anyway."_

 _"We'll work on that," her mother promised._

* * *

 _She was right; it didn't take much longer. In just thirty minutes, all of her's and Kai's possessions were resting upstairs in boxes or laundry baskets. They were working on bringing up the last large item: the mattress._

 _Everything else had gone smoothly enough - just one or two stressful mishaps so far like Anthony dropping a small box full of their most valuable CDs (but Skye blamed Anya for entrusting him with box anyways) and her mom opening the box Skye had tossed her birth control and their extra supply of condoms in (not that her mom cared, she was probably proud of her for practicing safe sex) - but carrying up this item with Kai was causing her to question her decisions, as annoyed as she was rapidly becoming._

 _"Babe, to the left...," he instructed. She pulled her edge of the mattress to her left and bumped into the wall._

 _He sighed, pausing, as she tried to readjust her half of the mattress. "Your other left."_

 _"No, you meant your left, which was my right," she retorted, struggling to keep the mattress upright, lifted off the dirty, concrete stairs, and maintaining her eyesight on Kai._

 _"Hence why I said your other left," he smirked._

 _"Kai, I swear to God," she snapped. "You can walk up the stairs backwards, and I'll give you dumb instructions."_

 _He chuckled, drawing out more irritation from her unwittingly. "Well I would say we could switch, but that would be difficult to do, too."_

 _"You think?"_

 _So they kept it up, slowly but surely, eventually making it to the third floor without much more fanfare._

 _They stuffed it through their apartment's front door, passing by her idle family to take it into the bedroom, and tossed it down on the floor. The queen size bed took up most of the relatively small space, but Skye was just happy to have a bed bigger than the twin sized beds she was used to - those were difficult to share with Kai, a.k.a the over-warm clingy marsupial._

 _Her family stayed for a little bit longer, her sister and mother helping her unpack some of the boxes while Kai gave Anthony piggy-back rides around the rooms._

 _After three o'clock passed, her family decided to depart, wanting an early start back to Salem._

 _Skye and Kai walked downstairs to see them off; they had to because Anthony refused to get off of Kai's shoulders. His mother pried him off, and they all said their good-byes._

 _As she hugged her sister, Skye watched Kai pull back from hugging her mom. Her mom smiled brightly at him and then said something - something Skye couldn't hear. Skye almost groaned, wondering what her mom had possibly told him - probably something embarrassing, she'd bet. But Kai's reaction had her confused. His own lazy smile faltered, his face paling._

 _Her brow furrowed, but her sister had retreated and her mother was reaching towards her next._

 _They left soon after, and, by then, Kai had regained his color. She looked at him curiously, but he only grabbed her hand and tugged her towards the staircase._

 _They had stepped onto the landing of the their floor when he dropped her hand then, unexpectedly, wrapped his whole arm around her waist from behind, tight like a steel band was closing over her. She squealed when his other arm swept up under her knees, lifting her up into his arms, her feet leaving the steps._

 _Alarmed, her hands automatically went to his shoulders, clutching for dear life._

 _"Um, Kai - what are you doing?" Skye asked after a moment, in which he nonchalantly carried her, bridal-style, in the direction of their door. Her eyes shot to his face then, which was just as nonchalant as his actions, until he met her gaze and rolled his eyes._

 _"Relax," he told her, before he flashed a playful smile. "I'm gonna carry you over the threshold."_

 _Her brow furrowed in confusion. "But we're didn't get married...," she pointed out._

 _He shrugged. "Close enough. Closest I'm ever gonna get, I think."_

 _"Why?" she demanded. "Plan on living in sin for the rest of your life?"_

 _"It is the only way to live," he pronounced, gravely._

 _She laughed, thought it was a short one, not fully disguising her uneasiness with her nonexistent grasp on solid ground._

 _She tried to pull one leg free, but he tightened his grip and sent her a scolding look. "It's fine. Unclench."_

 _She hadn't even realized how tightly she'd wound her muscles. "No," she protested. "You only have, like, 40 pounds on me."_

 _They were halfway down the landing now, just a few more feet from their door, and he showed no signs of weakening. But that didn't mean he wouldn't drop her suddenly - honestly, it seemed like something he would do._

 _"Are you calling me scrawny?" he asked, mock-offended._

 _"No, I'm stating facts. I'm 120 pounds, and I doubt you're any more than 160."_

 _"I'm tall. Which makes me deceptively heavy. Besides, muscle weighs more than fat," he reminded in his arrogant, "I'm a pre-med student," way. She felt his muscles flex around her, for added effect, she supposed._

 _She refused to be affected or give up the argument. "I'm tall, too."_

 _She froze as his lips brushed her ear, unexpectedly. He murmured, "If I can hold you up against a wall for sex, I'm pretty sure I can carry you up a flight of stairs."_

 _She flushed, her face heating as she remembered the encounter. Her judgement had been dubious at best, that day. And he was so damn persuasive._

 _"You weren't complaining then," he said lowly. Their eyes locked, his smoldering, hers dazed._

 _That's when they reached their neighbors' doors, and he turned away, eyes ahead as another resident came out of their apartment. Kai pivoted them, turning her lengthwise and parallel with the railing, so the girl could pass. She did with her head down._

 _Skye groaned, burying her face into Kai's shoulder. "Great, now our neighbors are gonna think we're weird."_

 _"We are weird," Kai said. "It's better to give them the correct impression right away. Maybe then they won't try to come over asking to borrow sugar or something equally stupid."_

 _She raised her head and scoffed, "Nobody does that in real life."_

 _"You would know better than I would," he said cryptically, as they stopped in front of their door._

 _He opened it and carried her through the threshold. She loosened his arms from around his neck, but he tightened his grip once again, then crossed the room to the bedroom door hurriedly._

 _"What are you doing?" she asked._

 _Once inside, he released her unceremoniously, tossing her to the bed, where she landed with a bounce. Then, he grinned mischievously, revealing what he was planning to do the moment before he did it._

 _"No, Kai - Don't you dare- Oof."_

 _She had tried to protest, but it had been too late. He had jumped and landed heavily on her, enough to knock the breath out of her, and they became a mass of tangled limbs._

 _"Kai," she wheezed. He only laughed, as his body weight pinned her, and his lips found her jaw. He started peppering kisses, working his way up to her mouth. She kissed him back soundly for a few long moments, but then drew away to push at his chest._

 _"Let me breathe," she panted. "You are deceptively heavy."_

 _He snickered, but rolled off of her. She turned to her side and he laid on his side to face her, one hand propping his head up, the other roaming down her side to her hip._

 _One of her hands went to his face, cupping his jaw. She grinned at him, so widely her cheeks ached. He stared back at her, his expression more muted, but his eyes were amused._

 _"Oh my god, we live together now," she said, as the weight of it settled over her suddenly._

 _"I know," he said._

 _"In our own apartment..."_

 _"Yep."_

 _"With our own things..."_

 _"Uh huh."_

 _"And no one else around..."_

 _"That's my favorite part."_

 _His declaration brought her up short, and she forgot what she had been preparing to say next. And there it was - the barely controllable urge she had sometimes to just blurt out insane or cheesy things in response to his rare, unexpected admissions. Like now, she yearned to say "Mine, too," or "How are you even real?" or "I love you so much. Like a lot. So much sometimes I swear it feels like it could never, ever be otherwise." She chose not to say any of those things, however._

 _"It also means we're gonna annoy each other now with our bad habits. And argue over petty things like you leaving the toilet seat up or my hair clogging the drain. Whose turn it is to do the laundry, whose turn it is to cook... money."_

 _"Those are so cliche," he said, rolling his eyes. "I feel like we're much more interesting than that."_

 _She guessed they would see in the coming months._

 _"Plus, you missed some other positives. Like having new furniture to break in," he smiled at her, cheekily._

 _She let a begrudging chuckle escape her._

 _He moved forward then, his mouth seeking hers again, and she obliged him eagerly. She even deepened it, pushing him on his back, moving up to straddle him. His hands trailed to her waist, but, soon, they were sneaking under her shirt's hem, teasing her bare skin._

 _"Nu uh," she reprimanded, withdrawing, reaching around to still his hands with hers. "Come on. We still have other boxes to unpack."_

 _He groaned, but complied good-naturedly, letting her drag him off the bed._

* * *

 _The rest of the boxes were empty now and broken down, most of the items that had been occupying them now in their new homes._

 _They had opted for a break, during which they decided to order dinner from their favorite Chinese restaurant._

 _Several take-out cartons - filled to the brim with fried rice, rice noodles, garlic beef, and honey chicken - now sat on the surface of their new (to them) but actually old coffee table, along with two bags of crab rangoon and egg rolls. They sat on the floor, across the table from each other, splitting a bottle of wine between them - simply sipping from the bottle itself, which was a housewarming gift from her mom - and picking food from the cartons at random. Skye was using chopsticks while Kai used his fingers, interestingly, causing her to raise a brow._

 _"Buttercup, you do realize you're supposed to use utensils when you eat, right?" she asked._

 _He scowled at her, for the petname. Since he had actually taken to calling her "babe," since their conversation during their first date, she figured it was only fair to return the favor._

 _He held up a finger towards her, grabbing another piece of chicken with his fingers and popping it into his mouth, chewing for several prolonged moments before he attempted speech. "The forks' location are unknown as of right now, and I'm too hungry to go search," he explained._

 _She snorted and reached for the other pair of chopsticks in the bag. She held them out to him, shaking them insistently when he gave her a skeptical look._

 _"I don't know how to use those," he complained, but took them from her anyway._

 _"It's not that difficult, Kai," she reassured, as he slipped the two sticks from their paper wrapper._

 _She held up her own chopsticks to demonstrate, showing him the correct hold. She then reached over and positioned his fingers, when he stubbornly refused to hold them right._

 _She pulled back. "Try it," she encouraged, nodding her head to the beef, believing the small beef chucks would be the easiest thing to grasp for a beginner. Kai sighed, but humored her, reaching for a piece. It took a full thirty seconds before he could even get a good hold, and he lost it on the way to his mouth. She tried to contain her laughter as he huffed, discarding the sticks on the table, and picked up the piece from his lap with his fingers instead._

 _"Kai, you have to use more than two fingers for them to work. You hold them with two, you're supposed to use a third finger to direct the top stick. It takes practice," she explained patiently, after she calmed._

 _"Or I can just do this," he countered, using one of the sticks to skewer a piece of chicken and brought it to his mouth to eat like it was a kabob._

 _She shook her head. He grinned at her, revealing half-chewed bits of chicken. She replied to that with a disgusted face._

 _"I'm gonna love watching you try to eat rice," she told him._

 _But he avoided the rice, choosing to finger-eat the noodles. But she was sure she caught him shooting her envious looks when she easily scooped up substantial amounts of rice with her chopsticks. She only offered him a smug smirk, taking a leaf from his book._

 _After they were done eating, and Kai went to the kitchen to put away their leftover containers, Skye glanced around their living room forlornly._

 _They hadn't chosen to eat on the floor simply for the Asian aesthetic, but because they had no couch. They also had no television. Or other tables. Or decorations. They'd had little time to prepare for their new environment, because they had rushed the process, wanting to find a decent apartment as soon as they could before school started. They'd also had to move in asap or risk losing it to other college students._

 _Kai returned, plopping down right next to her now. She turned to him, moving so their knees touched, leaning towards him._

 _He grabbed her leg and pulled it over his, resting it in his lap. He began rubbing his hand along her calf absentmindedly, his eyes following his actions._

 _She sighed. "I hoped you enjoy dinner. We're gonna have to start saving our money now. No more ordering out. No more going out."_

 _"I know," he said quietly, his soothing action never ceasing, his face still downcast._

 _She studied him, as his hand trailed down to her bare foot, stroking the sole. He looked up then, as if he felt her examination._

 _"What?" he asked._

 _"So why did you ask me to move in with you, huh?" She hoped she'd phrased the question nonchalantly enough to earn an answer. Of any kind, because her curiosity was killing her. She had never anticipated he'd be the one to suggest them moving in together, let alone be serious enough about it to actively pursue it - he'd been the one that found the apartment they sat in now. And it was disconcerting, sometimes, to have physical confirmation of his love but never any verbal or emotional expressions of it from the source himself._

 _He frowned. "Isn't it a little late to wonder now?"_

 _She shrugged._

 _"If you must know, the primary reason was so we could turn our naked slumber parties into regular, naked parties."_

 _She considered it. "So just to have your own personal sex slave on hand then?"_

 _He nodded solemnly, and now, the hand moving against her skin felt less casual, more intimate._

 _"Guess I can't blame you, that's why I agreed," she said._

 _He laughed - it was small, but it was husky and still caused a pleasant tremor to shoot through her. "To be my sex slave?"_

 _"No, to have my own sex slave on hand," she teased._

 _"Joke's on you, I like being objectified."_

 _It was her turn to laugh, but, in the next second, she sobered quickly, as her insecurity overwhelmed her._

 _"But seriously why?" she demanded, less smoothly, ten seconds later, abandoning all semblance of her dignity._

 _Pursing his lips, he inhaled sharply. "Why does it matter?"_

 _She pulled her leg from his lap and shifted, raising up on her knees in front of him. She grabbed his face, making sure his cautious gaze was focused on her, before she spoke, "I don't you to wake up tomorrow, regretting you asked me." His eyes were unreadable to her, but they glimmered with something so she continued, "By then, I will have already staked my claim over everything, and it would be super awkward for you to back out."_

 _He smiled, close-mouthed, showcasing his dimples. His hands reached up, smoothing her hair away from her face, pushing her bangs from her eyes. "Don't worry about it, babe. If I haven't gotten rid of you yet, I probably never will."_

 _The statement wasn't the most romantic, but it was enough for now._

 _So she decided to drop the subject, but Kai seemed ready to keep pursuing it, because he told her as much before he stood and went the bedroom. He came back out, holding a plastic bag._

 _He handed it to her. "Since you seem to need more reassurance of my commitment to you - because apparently my deciding to share a living space with you wasn't enough - I offer you this housewarming gift."_

 _It was a book (it was always a smart move to gift her a book) on feng shui. And it was perfect. She felt guilty as she gazed at it, because she had not thought to buy him anything._

 _"I feel bad," she admitted finally, looking up at him._

 _He stared at her, his eyebrows drawn together. "Why?" he asked, sounding genuinely confused._

 _"I didn't get you anything."_

 _He took this in, his face blank. Then shrugged. "So? Not gonna lie. This gift was more for me than you."_

 _"Really?" she asked, feeling more amused now, as he sat back down beside her._

 _He nodded vigorously. "I just really wanted to," - here, he paused, reading over the book's tagline - "'infuse some harmony' in our life, babe."_

* * *

 _Later that night, they laid in bed, Skye with her head resting on Kai's bare chest, hoping his heartbeat will lull her to sleep (because she could never sleep easily in a new place at first) she recalled the moment she witnessed earlier in the day - Kai going white at something her mom had said to him in private._

 _"Hey, what did my mom say to you? Earlier today when she hugged you?" she asked softly, unwilling to break the peaceful quiet, but needing to know the answer._

 _"Hmmm?" he questioned sleepily._

 _She re-asked the question, and when comprehension finally dawned on him, she felt the rumble of his chuckle._

 _"Oh yeah, she threatened me," he said finally._

 _Skye shot up, with the force of her shock. "Threatened you?" she repeated incredulously._

 _He grabbed her hand, trying to bring her back down. "Very creatively, I might add. I was like, 'Damn, Pat.' But don't worry, babe. It's just run-of-the-mill parental over-protectiveness..."_

 _Skye settled back at his side, but her anger still simmered. Her mom was definitely getting a call in the morning._

 _Kai was still talking, "Not that I would know anything about that first-hand, but I've seen enough family sitcoms..."_

 _Skye flinched, now her sympathy for Kai at war with her anger. She pressed her ear closer to his skin as his hand moved into her hair._

 _"It was nice, even if it was equally terrifying."_

 _She smiled into the darkness. She let a beat pass then whispered, "Kai?"_

 _He emitted another drowsy hum._

 _"I second whatever she told you."_

 _She expected a laugh, but she felt his lips brush against the top of her head instead. "Like I said, babe. You don't need to worry."_

* * *

It felt like a dream, but it had been reality.

Kai settled her in the bedroom, and she had fallen asleep fairly quickly on her side, her belly propped up by a pillow.

She was jostled awake again in the middle of the night, once again Kai's face in unexpected proximity to hers. But his attention was focused away from her, a frown on his face.

He was crouched down by the bed, his hand on her stomach.

"What are you doing?" she whispered, her voice thick.

She could've sworn he jumped as his eyes snapped up to meet hers.

He went to remove his hand, but she stopped him. Enclosing her hand around his, she pressed his back to her belly.

"It's okay," she told him.

Blank-faced, he let her keep her grip, even when she started stroking his knuckles.

"I think they're asleep," she said after several minutes of silence. "So they might not move anytime soon. It might help if you talk to them. They respond to the sound of my voice sometimes."

He gave her a doubtful look. "What the hell do I say? 'Sorry, it must suck that you're stuck in there, but we'll see ya soon.' Or how about, 'I can't wait till you come so your mom can _finally_ stop complaining.' Or-"

Just then, a little foot or elbow or whatever jutted out, striking Kai's hand and cutting him off. His eyes widened, his mouth falling open.

She laughed, grinning. "Why are you so surprised? Your mom had a bunch of pregnancies, didn't she? Didn't you ever feel her stomach?"

His face darkened. "I wasn't allowed to touch my mom, especially while she was pregnant."

Skye's smile fell, and she kept silent in the wake of this admission.

She only squeezed his hand then removed hers. To her surprise, Kai kept his hand on her stomach.

He seemed to be waiting for another movement.

"Talk to them some more. I think they like hearing your voice."

"I wasn't talking to them before. I'm not one of those weirdos that's gonna talk to your stomach."

As he talked, she felt them shift. She reached over and dragged his hand to the spot. She pressed his fingers there and held them in place.

"This is weird," he commented as she pushed his fingers against the spot and after a moment, there was a slight kick. "I-"

Once again, Kai was struck mute. And that's when the baby stopped moving.

"They go even crazier when I play them music. Come feel them the next time I play _The Beastie Boys_. 'Sabotage' is their favorite."

Kai didn't respond, only gazed at her stomach, his hand limp on her stomach. His face was closed off, but Skye felt lightened by the exchange. He finally was showing more than a clinical interest. Finally.

"I think they're both gonna be boys. What do you think?" Skye ventured.

Kai met her eyes and shrugged, indifferent.

She deflated. _Too far_ , she thought. She stayed quiet, schooling her features, as Kai got a far-away look on his face.

"I'm hungry," she proclaimed suddenly to break the awkward silence that had befallen them. "I want ... muffins and bacon."

Kai, startled out of his reverie, shot her a look. "Seriously?"

"You knocked me up, that is the least you could do."

He stood and waited expectantly. "Well, come on, baby hippo."

"Please just bring it up here," she shamelessly whined, unconcerned by the insult. She was long past being sensitive about her size. "You know how long it takes me to get up."

* * *

Later that night, Skye, full of blueberry muffin, slept on her side, Kai huddled behind her, spooning her. She used his right arm as her headrest, which was rapidly growing numb. His other arm was wrapped around her waist, his hand resting on her distended belly. A soft, orange light glowed in the space between their skin.

He was not siphoning, he was sensing.

They had magic - strong magic. It was not kicks he felt earlier, but electric charges. They were reacting to his touch - the most visceral reaction they had ever had towards him (and he towards them). No wonder Skye had been sleeping and eating so frequently lately. Their magical energy was probably very draining, especially to a regular human, notwithstanding the normal struggle of a pregnancy itself.

He was not lying earlier, the whole present situation with Skye was weird….was too domestic for his taste. It was a situation that had gotten stranger the bigger Skye grew. But now that he had felt the stirrings of magic, he realized that the babies were _his_ too. Something - someone - he could wholly call his own. Something -someone- that he would have the most common ground with.

They were what was gonna save them from the Prison World.

* * *

 _A/N: Some lines of dialogue in this was inspired by a pregnancy prompt I saw on Tumblr. Progress on Bloodsport is still a little slow-going so I thought I could upload this as a consolation._


	3. Chapter 3

Part 3

 _With a gentle touch and a foolish love_

May 10 1994

A month later, Skye was starting to identify with that one Plath poem about pregnancy, She had to look it up to be sure of the wording. And by look it up, she had to waddle her way to the nearest vehicle and jump start it. Then use the map in the glove box to figure out how to get to downtown Cincinnati and locate the local public library. The easiest part was actually tracking the specific collection down in the library. And all of it was done without the express permission of her live-in doula.

Exhausted, she sat in the aisle, leaned up against the bottom shelves, and ran her finger along the lines of the passage:

" _I'm a riddle in nine syllables,_

 _An elephant, a ponderous house,_

 _A melon strolling on two tendrils._

 _O red fruit, ivory, fine timbers!_

 _This loaf's big with its yeasty rising._

 _Money's new-minted in this fat purse._

 _I'm a means, a stage, a cow in calf._

 _I've eaten a bag of green apples,_

 _Boarded the train there's no getting off."_

The last line stuck out to Skye - the finality of their shared situation. She stayed in the aisle for half the day. Finally, she used the payphone and called Kai to come get her.

He found her back in the aisle, the Plath collection resting on her bulging stomach, the fading sunlight streaming in through the windows dimly lighting the corridor.

"Next time you decide to be a renegade, pick a cooler destination."

He plopped down next to her, picking up the book. He read over the title and its author.

"Does this mean, after you have the babies, you're gonna stick your head in an oven?" he quipped.

Skye scoffed, "Such a wonderful poet, and that's all she will be remembered for." Then she shrugged. "Might try it though. Wouldn't stay permanently dead after all. We haven't tried carbon monoxide poisoning yet."

"Just wait till you're done breast-feeding," he replied with an air of great disinterest, flipping through the book.

She rolled her eyes. "You're supposed to dissuade me."

"Think about it, babe. Could I ever dissuade you from anything?"

She chose that moment to lean her head against his shoulder in lieu of answering.

She felt him chuckle. "Remember that time you thought it would be a good idea to tattoo the lyrics of a Tears for Fears song permanently onto your skin?"

"And I still don't regret it."

Reading the passage over his shoulder, she wished that she had a way to tattoo herself again, without risking serious injury or infection. With the guidance of a professional artist. She would pick this poem in a heartbeat:

 _"I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead;_

 _I lift my lids and all is born again._

 _(I think I made you up inside my head.)_

 _The stars go waltzing out in blue and red,_

 _And arbitrary blackness gallops in:_

 _I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead._

 _I dreamed that you bewitched me into bed_

 _And sung me moon-struck, kissed me quite insane._

 _(I think I made you up inside my head.)_

 _God topples from the sky, hell's fires fade:_

 _Exit seraphim and Satan's men:_

 _I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead._

 _I fancied you'd return the way you said,_

 _But I grow old and I forget your name._

 _(I think I made you up inside my head.)_

 _I should have loved a thunderbird instead;_

 _At least when spring comes they roar back again._

 _I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead._

 _(I think I made you up inside my head.)"_

"And all these words are supposed to mean something?" Kai scoffed, waving his hand over the page. "Because it reads like gibberish to me."

Skye rolled her eyes and looked up at him, her hands resting where the book once was - on her tiny miracles. Their impossibilities.

She gazed at him, at his slightly curled lip, his wrinkled nose, and hooded eyes, and was unnerved by the tender fondness she felt. It was too easy to be like this with him lately.

 _(God topples from the sky, hell's fires fade:_

 _Exit seraphim and Satan's men:_

 _I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead._

 _I think I made you up inside my head.)_

"Yeah, I think I get what she meant," she confesses, softly, like a sinner in a church.

* * *

Two weeks later, Skye awakened to wet sheets and a sharp cramp in her pelvis, a pressure building between her legs.

"Kai!" she called.

She expected a leisurely stroll up the stairs from him, unconcerned about her pain. But he must've sensed the panic in her voice because he was the in the room much quicker than expected, his lips a flat line and his face white.

"I think it's happening, Kai."

He observed the large wet stain and then promptly turned and ran out of the room. Her mouth dropped open in shock but she shut it as she heard the water faucet start running across the hall.

She tried to stand. Another contraction wracked through her, causing her to fall back down the bed.

That was when Kai returned, immediately striding to her side and helping her stand.

He led her across the hall into the bathroom and straight to the clawfoot tub. Overcome, she sat on the edge of the tub as Kai worked to lift her oversized shirt off, exposing her sports bra.

"Am I giving birth in the water?" she asked.

He was shimmying her sweatpants and underwear down when he answered, "I did some research on it. I think it's the best option we have."

"It's too early, isn't it?" She swung her legs over the edge and eased herself down into the warm water with Kai's assistance.

"Thirty-six weeks is what most O.B.s shoot for with twins. They'll be small, but hopefully healthy."

* * *

Two hours later and she was still in pain.

Kai kneeled next to the tub, his clinical eyes on her lower half. He had just measured her dilation - she was at 5 inches basically. She had roughly five more to go.

"Just knock me out, please," Skye begged.

"Nope, babe. Got to do this the medieval way."

He dipped his hand in the water, checking its temperature once more. He kept refilling it, making sure it was warm.

"How did they do it?" she questioned, half-delirious from the pain.

"Well, most of the time, I think they died…"

She groaned, sinking further down into the tub, her half-wet hair dipping back in the water. He smoothed it away from her chest.

"Think of the bright side, babe. You can't die."

"Not so sure," she gritted out, "...that's a bright side right now."

* * *

Four hours later, the last light rays of day dying through the panes of the window beside her, Skye felt the pressure intensifying - the urge to push.

She informed him and Kai got into position to receive, towels and two stolen hospital umbilical clamps at the ready.

She only remembered everything in her aching - her teeth, her legs, her head - as she pushed them out, one by one, into the warm water.

She watched through a haze as Kai cleaned them up and cut their cords. He told her, over their combined wailing, one was a boy, like she had expected. But, to her surprise, the other - the first one out - was a girl.

They looked so small, their little faces smushed.

 _(I think I made you up inside my head.)_

Dazedly, she committed the parental cliche of counting their toes and fingers. She hoped nothing was wrong with the rest of them.

"What is today?" She managed to ask. "In real time?"

"May 22, 2004. They're little Geminis, babe."

She felt more energized after she delivered the afterbirth into the bloody water - by herself since Kai was attending to the wailing newborns. She was more than ready to clean herself up and officially begin motherhood.

* * *

When night had completely fallen, she was up out of the bathtub and changing into more comfortable clothes. She replaced the bed sheets, the water stain long dried by now.

She returned to the bed, rubbing her hand over her still distended stomach. But - she remembered from the several pregnancy books she read out of boredom - breastfeeding was supposed to help women regain their original shape and size. She was ready to start it if it meant she could go back to feeling a little bit normal again.

After a moment, Kai entered through the door, wheeling two bassinets simultaneously. He rolled them over to her bedside and smirked as he observed her upright in bed, her hands held out eagerly. "Whoa," he said, "If I had known what a champ you were gonna be during labor, I would've knocked you up sooner."

She only gave him her patented unamused face in reply and shook her arms insistently.

"Seriously, " he continued, throwing out his arms. "I thought you would be screaming all these horrible nasty things at me. About how I was never gonna touch you again. How this was all my fault. Which probably would've screwed up my concentration. Maybe cause me to drop a baby. But you didn't." Then his gaze turned thoughtful. "I guess you've always had a high pain tolerance."

The look that followed after that pronouncement she could only describe as a leer, accompanied by a more subtle, appreciative smile.

"Give them to me," she commanded. "Now."

She fed the girl first, because she was the most fussy right then. Wailing, with her face screwed up. She calmed down when Skye was able to get her to latch.

The boy woke up not long after that with a single pitiful cry. Kai picked him up and they traded babies.

He took a little longer to latch, but his eyes were already open. Ardently, she studied him.

A dusting of fine, dark hair covered his head, and his eyes were a deep blue. His sister resembled him, even though Skye had yet to see her eyes, she knew they were probably the same color.

They looked entirely like Kai, she wasn't sure if there was any bit of her in them.

 _(I think I made you up inside my head.)_

She glanced up at Kai then. He had settled into a chair by her bedside, holding the girl out in front of him, one large hand supporting her head. He gazed down at her, his expression unreadable.

"I think I have names for them."

"Really?"he asked flatly without looking up.

"Yep. Mali and Kaia."

Instantly, he shot her a dark look, the harsh expression warring with the image of him he was currently creating - cradling a newborn baby girl so gently. He huffed, "Give them some individuality, babe. Names are pretty significant in witch families."

"I'm not a witch," she reminded imperiously before her gaze returned to the bundle in her arms. He had his eyes closed now, but he kept sucking away. She ran a finger over his barely there eyebrow before she traced his button nose.

"Besides, they look just like you," she said quietly. In her periphery, she noticed Kai shaking his head ever so slightly. She eyed him, as he brought the baby girl closer, against his chest, fingertips brushing her cheek. A gesture reminiscent of one he'd performed on Skye herself several times.

"I think she looks like you," Kai told her. "With her face all pinched up right now like it is."

She rolled her eyes. "Okay, how do you feel about literary names?"

He shrugged, leaning back in his chair, nestling the baby in his arms more securely, bracing his elbows against the armrest. "Depends on what they are."

"Hero."

Kai's head tilted. "For him?" he asked, tipping his head toward the bundle in her arms.

"No, her," Skye answered, indicating the one in his arms.

Kai's face scrunched up in confusion. "Then what did you have in mind for him?"

"Hareton."

Kai's face grew even more mystified. "What books are you reading?"

"They're classics," she defended. "Hero is _Shakespeare_. Hareton's from _Wuthering Heights_. " She glanced down at the baby in her arms. He looked like a Hareton. Little Hareton.

"Yeah," Kai broke through her thoughts. "No. I'm gonna have to veto those. Too weird."

She huffed, "Both were the names of characters that were misunderstood and mistreated in their respective narratives. I thought _you_ would appreciate that." She had soft spots for the characters - and peering back up at Kai, she realized it explained a lot.

"Aww, how sweet, babe," he mocked, clutching his hand to his chest.

Irritation flared inside her. "Fine, I choose Issac and Nicoletta."

Instantly, Kai's jaw clenched, his features going dark again. " _Skye_."

She sighed and let a few moments pass before she spoke again, to diffuse the tense moment."For someone who had no interest in what they were named, you're sure being difficult about it now."

 _"I_ don't care," he claimed before he relented, "You know what, name 'em whatever you want. Just please don't dress them in matching clothes."

"I'm not gonna do that," she promised. "I still like the first option though."

"Naming them after me?"

She nodded. "I'm surprised you objected to it."

His gaze was thoughtful now. "Not a big fan of my name in case you haven't noticed."

"Maybe that's why I chose them," she muttered, but then added, ever stubborn, "I still like those names the best though." _Mali_ definitely fit the little boy in her arms better. And _Kaia_ seemed like the right fit too for the girl in her father's arms - little Kaia who yawned as Skye glanced up at them and in response received one of the biggest grins Skye thought she'd had ever seen on Kai's face. Little Kaia, who seemed to be on the verge of stealing what little heart her father had. Skye smiled softly as she observed them. "You know, you can pick their middle names if you want."

He waved a hand dismissively. "It doesn't matter what they're named. I'm still gonna call them Thing 1 and Thing 2."

"No, you are not," she replied vehemently.

"How about Luke and Leia?"

"You want them to be incestuous?"

"It was _retroactive_."

* * *

It was when they barely slept that night, too attuned to the bassinets in the corner and any sound they made, that he had a proper suggestion.

"I like the names Portland and Salem." His voice was uncharacteristically quiet and solemn.

Her chest ached instantly for the cities she had never returned to - could never return to, really.

 _(I think I made you up inside my head.)_

"They wouldn't be bad middle names," she conceded, her eyes drifting shut against her volition.

Skye allowed herself to finally hope it might not be too bad - this little future they had managed to cultivate.

* * *

 _So I decided to add this little chapter to show I haven't stopped writing and I haven't given up on them. Real life is difficult and it gets in the way. Thank you guys so much for everything._


End file.
